Purple Norway Maple
Acer Platanoids Identification
Angiosperm or Gymnosperm: The Norway Maple Tree is an angiosperm. Natural Habitat: Norway maple trees have adapted to various conditions. Norway maples are widely planted in the United States and can be found from the northern border with Canada south to the Carolinas. Leaf Pattern: Arranged in an opposite pattern along twigs, which are stout and reddish-brown in color. The leaves are large (4"-7" wide) and 5-lobed. Different from many trees, the leaf provides a white milky sap. Type of Seeds: The tree has clustered flowers, with fruit color being greenish yellow, ripening to brown. The type of seed body is large winged and disperse by wind. Germination Process: When mature, maple fruit turn from green to yellow or brown and fall to the ground. Collect mature fruit from the lawn, driveway, or gutters. There is no need to remove the seed from the fruit. The seed of the Norway maple (Acer platanoides) require 90 to 120 days at 41 F. Plant the seed (fruit) 1/4 to 1 inch deep. Symbiotic Relationships: The Norway maple is threatened in a few areas by the Asian long-horned beetle, which eats through the trunks, often killing the trees. A number of species of Lepidoptera feed on the tree foliage. Norway maple is usually free of serious diseases, but can be attacked by the powdery mildew Uncinula bicornis, and verticillium wilt disease caused by Verticillium. "Tar spots" is a common infection but harmless. Aceria pseudoplatani is a mite that causes a 'Felt Gall' that is found on the underside of leaves of Norway Maple. Type of Bark: The tree has a rounded crown of dense foliage and the bark is grayish-black and furrowed. Ethnobotony
Norway Maple can be used to produce maple syrup. It is not the best choice for sugaring, however, due to its relatively low sugar content and short tapping season. Current Research
The Norway maple tree tends to continue to spread in an undesirable way throughout forests of North America. When growing the maple under simulated light that would act as shade and/or direct sunlight, it was found that the maple tree had a more intense growth spurt when put in intense, direct sunlight and then in a shadier habitat for a longer period. Since the tree grows heavily in North America, it is suggested that the tree’s growth might be increased. It is still thought that the Norway maple will continue to increase due to its invasive nature (Paquette, 2012). Summary of Information
The angiosperm tree, the Purple Norway Maple, originated in the northern US, is used now to produce maple syrup. Though the syrup is not very sweet, it is still very popularly used. The beautiful deep purple tree, with large scattered leaves, clustered flowers, and grayish-black furrowed bark, produces a white milky sap that drips down from the seeds onto it surroundings. The big, dominating tree shows its vulnerability to mildew, mites and the Asian long-horned beetle that eats through the trunk, killing the tree. |
References
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_platanoides
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mapleinfo.org/htm/norwaym.cfm
Paquette A., Norway maple displays greater seasonal growth and phenotypic plasticity to light than native sugar maple Tree Physiol (2012) 32 (11): 1339-1347 first published online October 16, 2012doi:10.1093/treephys/tps092
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acer_platanoides
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mapleinfo.org/htm/norwaym.cfm
Paquette A., Norway maple displays greater seasonal growth and phenotypic plasticity to light than native sugar maple Tree Physiol (2012) 32 (11): 1339-1347 first published online October 16, 2012doi:10.1093/treephys/tps092